


A Long Time Coming

by Josh89



Series: Mini-Castles [10]
Category: Castle (TV 2009)
Genre: Don't copy to another site, F/M, Family, Family Fluff, Fluff, Ghosts, Pregnancy, Tags Contain Spoilers, graveyards
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-15
Updated: 2019-12-15
Packaged: 2021-02-25 22:48:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 993
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21813202
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Josh89/pseuds/Josh89
Summary: A week after returning from Venice, Rick and Kate visit Johanna's gravestone with Alexis to share some of their latest news.
Relationships: Kate Beckett/Richard Castle
Series: Mini-Castles [10]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1562563
Kudos: 3





	A Long Time Coming

Kate stared down at the weathered stone in front of her, carefully thinking over exactly what she was about to say to make sure that her intended point was made. “Hi, mom. I know it’s only been a couple of months since we were last here, but we wanted to share some new developments with you”.  
She cast a quick glance at her husband, and he took a step closer to her, slipping an arm around her waist. She went willingly, leaning into his side and resting her head on his shoulder. “First, I want to introduce you to someone I should have introduced you to months ago”.  
She turned to look at the red-haired young woman who stood on her other side, gesturing gently. “Alexis? Could you come here please?”  
Her step-daughter looked up, blinking in surprise. “Me?”  
“Yes. You’re just as big a part of this family as your father and I are, and your amazing detective work three weeks ago is part of the reason that we’re standing here right now, so it’s only fair you share in this”.  
After hesitating for a few moments longer, Alexis smiled warmly, crossing to stand next to Kate. The older woman pulled the red-head into a gentle hug before turning her attention back to the worn stone. “Mom, I’d like to introduce you to Alexis, my step-daughter, and also an incredible detective in her own right. She was the one that spotted the vital clue that led to the tape that allowed us to put William Bracken, and Vulcan Simmons just a couple of days ago, away for good”.  
She wrapped her arms tighter around the younger girl, placing a brief kiss to her step-daughter’s forehead. “I just… I feel so liberated now, it’s almost unbelievable. For so long, I let the case be the defining point of my life. I let it define the way I lived my life, my job, my relationships, everything about me, just so that I could make sure that no-one would have to go through what happened to me. But for the past five years, ever since I met you guys, it’s like… it just feels like this crushing weight has been lifted off of my chest and I can breathe easily again. I feel so much more at ease every day, and it’s all thanks to our family”  
One hand subconsciously shifted to rest on the slight swell of her stomach, and she smiled gently, before turning her attention back to her mother’s grave. “We’ve been discussing names, mom. If it’s a boy, we’re thinking of naming him James Royce Castle, after dad and Mike Royce, my former training officer. If it’s a girl, we’d like to name her… Johanna Allison Castle, for both you and the victim whose case brought us both together in the first place”  
She sighed softly, nuzzling into her husband’s embrace further. “If you had to guess, Rick, would you say it’s going to be a boy or a girl?” she wondered.  
“Our child? Honestly, Kate, I haven’t really thought about it. Would I like a son? Yes. But really, Kate, as long as our child is healthy, I honestly don’t care about the gender”.  
“I don’t care about the gender either, Rick. I haven’t cared since the day that I found out I was pregnant in the first place. I’m just excited that this is actually happening. I just… I guess I just wanted to be reminded that you feel the same way I do about this” Kate said softly.  
Rick smiled gently, placing a chaste kiss to his wife’s forehead. “I do, Kate. And I always will. Now, how about we get out of here and go home, get some rest? We do have work tomorrow, after all. And it is getting late…”  
Kate pressed a quick kiss to her husband’s lips, smiling at him in response. “I think that’s a good idea. Maybe we can stop at Remy’s on the way? I’m kind of hungry”  
“Of course”  
She offered a hand to Alexis, and the red-haired girl took it after a couple of seconds. “Ready to go whenever you are” Alexis whispered.  
Kate paused, considering. “Just give me a second, alright?”  
Turning back to the weathered stone, the detective inclined her head gently. Tears of gratitude shining in her eyes, she whispered “Thank you, mom. For everything you’ve done for our family. Thanks to you, I’m married to the man I love, with an incredible step-daughter, and I’m going to be a mom myself… God, I wish you could be here to see this. I want to introduce you to them in person, not just like this… I miss you every day, mom. But Rick and Alexis are always there for me when I need them and their presence… they just make it easier”.  
She turned back to her husband, burying her face in the crook of Rick’s neck and sighing as she inhaled the familiar scent of his cologne. “Alright, let’s go”  
As the three of them turned and walked away, none of them noticed the slightly see-through form of a brown-haired woman appear beside the gravestone and crouch down to run her hand across the worn surface of the stone. None of them realized she was watching them with vivid hazel eyes, or saw the tender, satisfied, smile that played across her elegant features. And none of them heard her whisper “You’re welcome, Kate. I wish every day that I had never died in that alley, but all I can do is watch over you and your family… I’m proud of you. I truly am. This has been a long time coming, and I’m so glad you’ve been able to end it”.  
Tears of happiness and pride welling up in her eyes, threatening to spill down her cheeks, Johanna smiled and, after watching as Kate, her husband, and their daughter walked out of sight, she vanished.


End file.
